Flex 6500 and N1MM - Can they work together?

N5BA

Running Flex 6500 v1.9.13.  Trying to get this to work with the most recent N1MM program.  I know my Flex 5000 could work this complicated arrangement, but the 6 series seems immune.
I've looked through the Community filings and see many comments on using Flex and N1MM, but everyone seems to be SO2R, have a WinKeyer, and CW Skimmer.  I don't plan to work SO2R.
I don't have a WinKey, nor do I plan to use CW Skimmer.

I've told N1MM, on the Config page, to look at Com4, which is what I have set up on CAT.  I've tried clicking "CW/Other" or not clicking it.  Regardless, I get "No CW port is set in Config."

For the 160 contest this weekend used my key and logged using my computer logging program to work a couple of Q's.  Not the best way to really run and enter a contest.

Do I have to use SO2R?
Do I have to have WinKey?
Do I need CW Skimmer?

Do I need to find a contesting program that works with Flex.  If so, any ideas?

TNX for your help.

73
Brian N5BA

Mike NN9DD

Flex 6000 series work very well with N1MM+. Follow the directions and set up as indicated. Just because it is setting up SO2V does not require you to use it that way. There is also Winkeyer emulation built into SDR again set it up you do not need to use it Mike N9DFD

Kevin

Do I have to use SO2R?

I don't. I have  N1MM+ set up to SO1V. Works just fine for me.

Do I have to have WinKey?

Yes. WinKey is built into the radio. You need to set up a WinKey port in SmartCat and then point to that in N1MM+.

Do I need CW Skimmer?

Nice to have but definitely not required.


73,
Kev K4VD

Ria

Hi Brian -

Do I have to use SO2R? - Not if you don't want to. Even on my 6700 I turn it off for some contests.

Do I have to have WinKey? - No. You can actually send "CATASC" commands directly but it is messy. Winkey is better. 

Do I need CW Skimmer? - You don't need it. However, the Flex 6000 series is by far the most reliable with it. I have never seen any of my K3/S owning friends with a fully working skimmer setup.  However if you only do unassisted contesting then you don't need skimmer. 

ctate243

Ok the gang has answered most of the questions,

but lets drill down to a simple 1 slice contest setup. 

in SmartSDR CAT you will need to set up 2 types of virtual ports.
1. a cat port
2. a winkeyer port.

Do this first,

In smart cat, click ADD down in the lower left corner
The add port box will display
Port protocol: CAT
Port Type: SERIAL
Serial Port: FlexVSP

You can leave the Autoswitch TX slice alone.  Split mode you may want to select the SO2V pulldown since this would effectively emulate a traditional 2 vfo CAT port.  but for a single slice instance its not really needed for you.  just a suggestion.

Click SAVE.
You will now see the cat port listed with a blue square icon with a C in it.  all good.  remember what com port was created.

Now we can setup a Winkeyer emulator port so N1MM can key CW

Click ADD
under port protocol
Select: WINKEYER

take note of that com port

Click SAVE.

You should now have a dark blue/purplish square icon with a W in it. 

That takes care of the port setups.


Now lets get N1MM talking to your flex.

So lets assume your virtual CAT port is COM2
And your WInkeyer is COM4

In N1MM logger Plus
Open Config > Configure ports, mode control,audio, other

First setup your cat telemetry.  on the top row
Configure the PORT pull down for COM2 (using the above ports as an example)
Configure the RADIO pull down as FLEX-6000 Series
do NOT check the CW/other box
click the SET button.
Optimized flex defaults should be populated, but for the record
38400,N,8,1 DTR/RTS Always off.
for cw contests ensure PTT via Radio Command are UNCHECKED for all modes.
click OK

Now in the Second row.. lets setup the keyer 
Configure the second row port as COM4
leave the radio pull down blank

put a check in the CW/other box

Click the SET button for That row
You can leave the defaults for now, but put a check in the Winkey box.
DTR always ON RTS always OFF
click OK. to close that window, and OK again to close the configure tab


That should apply those settings and N1MM should be aware of the radio, its single slice and should show and track frequency.  you can also test by hitting the F1 button on your keyboard.. and it should trigger the cw macro.

And that should do it.  I will do this on a clean PC with a fresh SSDR install and grab some screenshots of all this and post a bit later.

CU on the air and GL in the contest :-).

Rick

Thank you Chris as this is a great, helpful, straight forward tutorial. I've been lurking in the weeds watching responses on this one as I thought I might try the same set up now that I have CW Skimmer working and have fallen in love with it! TNA agn.
73
Rick, W2JAZ

ctate243

no problem Rick..  and Brian do let us know how it went for you as well

N5BA

Yes - It now knows how to operate.  Thanks for the help.

As I said earlier, I can find no reference to the Winkey app in the knowledge base.

Would be good to get the instructions you gave me a spot on the "FLEX Signature Series Help Center."
That way they should be easy to find.

Thanks Again

ctate243

Actually I have an action item to provide just that Document to Tim, this will also serve as a base for that document.  November/Early December is a busy contest month, I have logged 6200 qso's since 11/1.  The season slows down a bit in Dec so I should be able to do a few of these for the gang. 

Greg, N6GD

Thanks!!  After trying several other formulas from other threads that didn't work, your does!  Very simple and very clearly written.  I can't tell you how excited I am to have this working finally!

ctate243

fantastic, I forgot I wrote this up.. just need to take this and add some screen shots for time and a long standing action item is taken care of ;-).

roger na4rr

Thank you Thank you.  N1MM now finally works.

Roger

roger na4rr

It would be nice if FRS could just copy and past somewhere on their web page.